Airplane crash at Reno air races 2011

[ksktibbitts]

my friends dad is in the hospital because of it...hes a very good family friend

[gimpyster111]

It was infact pilot error, he was warned that his trim tabs may not be able to take the full G-forces of some of the stunts, later on trim tab falls off resulting in a steep climb putting more than 10Gs of force and causing him to black out and not be able to recover, AME's go through lots of training and prep before they are able to sign off aircrafts for flight so dont assume because a piece of an aircraft breaks or falls off it is the engineers fault

[loginstrength]

Omg

[SuperSalad88]

Thank you for your excellent, riveting coverage.

With your deep insight, professional attitude, and unbaised observations, I'd say your are a natural for news.

[11tony3]

Operation Gamma has a P-51 on it o_O

[loudon1994]

So called "God" kills Innocent people....

[ThePilot4life]

@loudon1994 Exactly...."god' loves us >:(

[walkerbelle]

WTF is a natural crash??? Are you serious when you ask people if they think the plane manufacturer is the blame? That plane has been modified so many times over the years that it should no longer be called a P-51.

[Toddinfantry]

@FuckYouGeorge4title Answer to your first question...Japanese kamikaze pilots. And how do you know he could have missed them wonder mind? Sounding more like a simple troll.

[kncklesandwich]

You are a wonderfull getto news caster. They be sttin in dem boxs. Like god was dare and you neva no. its like yoyoyoyoyoyooyoyoyoyoyo wait a minute white boy that crash was some bad ass shit. Its like white on white crime. some old white fuck took out a bunch of other whites with a ww11 plane now thats some down shit. Kamakazi style right there. At that age they shouldnt even drive a fucking car let alone a goddam vintage airplane. Old people shouldnt drive or fuckin fly.

[apatheticempathy]

QUESTION:

How fast do you think he was going to have a plane to break up into that many small bits ?

Even that massive engine broke up into small flying bits.

Also they said he flew away from the stands, I doubt it, he passed out so quick, he really didnt have a chance to do anything. Adleast he went quick

Know that - WAS - the Oldest racing made P-51 ever

Now Reno Nevada officials are prohibiting ANY kind of avaition racing for the future. The sport is now banned. how sad is that ?

[g3no11]

we should make a pizza tribute to jimmy the pilot,we could throw meat and tons of sauce on it and make it look messy,i for one would call it,RENO impact pizza

[Ralroost103]

@g3no11 Sure you would. Cuz you're a cunt.

[sonex424]

@frostyhasbigballs It is not clear that he called a mayday. I agree with everything else thought. Some of the comments disgust me.

[videocommenter67]

@wangobangodango: you are one!!!

[jbouza09]

@tomsullivan60 MSNBC is full of crap not just this time ALWAYS !!!. The canopy was closed all the way to the ground. Besides that there's video that shows the lifeless pilot hitting the ground just after he was shot out of the plane and his parachute started to open. If you want correct information please don't get it from MSLSD It's a big time lib channel and they will spin any story to make ratings which they desperately need. The part about the stick is actually right.

[tomsullivan60]

MSNBC stated that the pilot bailed out and was killed by a truck coming to get all the bad white chairs. Is this true. If not why didnt he pull back on the stick. Ibelieve that this makes the airplane go up at least it did in AIRPLANE the movie

[bulldogchic]

i heard it killed 5

[sk821sk8]

@bulldogchic Killed 11 yo

[700VSFLH]

How the hell do you know that 'he had nothing to do with it'? Were you in the plane with him? And in my opinion he was to old to be in a race over thousands of people. I dont care how much experience he had, one thing he did have was the reactions of a 74 yr. old man moron!

[clutchkick28]

Age was not a factor. The P-51 was very modified, and had 10ft recently cut from the wings. the fault of the crash was due to improper testing before the race.

[sebastian0217]

@clutchkick28 oh, well, if thats the case, i guess its ok then. MORON!

[crooney82]

The trim tab broke on an aircraft with thousands of horsepower going 500mph. This plane was uncontrollable and even Tony Horton would have immediately blacked out from the insane G forces caused by this almost supersonic aircraft. Its hard to pull back on the stick of a cessna when its not trimmed properly. Imagine this thing. INSANE FORCES HERE PEOPLE! NOT POSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT PERIOD.

[twistedyogert]

Watch Nascar. It's safer

[SPOOKSTR]

Bullshit it wasn't mechanical failure...he didn't have enough altitude to complete the loop. It was his fault end of story.

[iamauen]

@SPOOKSTR You're an Idiot. Get your facts before you blame this guy. 

[Toddinfantry]

@SPOOKSTR Too bad he wasn't attempting a loop or any other aerobatic maneuver. There's always some of you idiots think you know something......and don't.

[dfbflyer]

@SPOOKSTR Wow! You don't know much about air races obviously. Not standard practice to pull out of the race midway, do a loop over the spectators heads, and continue on. There was obviously some sort of problem, either mechanical or physical, or a combination of both. Tragically eleven people, including the pilot, have lost their lives. Let the investigators do their work, and stop judging from your couch.

[ChopperPilot136]

@frostyhasbigballs How do you know? Yes, he was VERY capable of flying his aircraft, in good health. How do you know it wasn't a heart attack? I am NOT saying it was, just putting the thought in your narrow head. See the thing about heart attacks and such is that they happen unexpectedly. How can you be so sure of anything yet? Expert. Sit back down in your arm-chair, quarterback. And are you 100% sure there was a mayday call?

[metoo129]

Too bad you don't know anything about aircraft. For the pilot, this all happened within a 20 second time period.. Hardly enough time for the average person to know what was going on. The pilot was highly experienced, he was trying to find a way to fly his out of control aircraft. He pulled up to gain altitude, and to get out of the race circuit. That would hopefully give him more time to get the aircraft back under control.

[elsiebea]

As of today, 9/19, there are ten dead. There are still a dozen or so victims in intensive care in the hospital in Reno. There are at least 75 injured, although the true number of injured will never be known because some of the injured left in private cars. The pilot was not drunk, as erroneously reported on CNN. The trim tab did fall off of the plane, making the plane basically un-steerable. It looks very possible that this is what the NTSB will find as the cause.

[ando759]

So funny reminds me of 9/11

[Codog2000]

why werent all these people in a casino? Who goes to see old airplanes race and more importantly who f'ing cares?

[MrSlapjaw]

75 year old man+500mph dogfighter x racing in a circle near women and children=DISASTER....PERIOD

[persiforever]

why doesnt those planes have a ballistic parachute??????

[UpliftingMelodies]

@persiforever so he can save his ass and throw the plane on the people like he did

[JesusWasAnAsshole]

That maneuver was not survivable and never should have been attempted !

[LoneWolf051]

@JesusWasAnAsshole what maneuver?

[funkyzero]

@JesusWasAnAsshole "That maneuver was not survivable and never should have been attempted !"

Just when I think every idiot on youtube has already spoken, here you come

[DanLFC8]

why wasnt there a ejection seat in the plane?

[LoneWolf051]

@DanLFC8 cockpit was too small and weighed the plane down too much

[matrix86]

@DanLFC8 stunt and racing planes do not have ejector seats. Military planes are the only ones that have ejector seats. Not sure why this is, though.

[Zahn]

@DanLFC8 The whole thing was staged by the CIA, there is no valid wreckage and no explosion, it was a model at best and the CIA is so wealthy so powerful all the audience and hospital and media is "agents", this is what you call a PSYOP (google it). The CIA also staged 9-11 and that was far bigger - no one died, all employers all staffers in every suite in both towers are all CIA. There is no limitation of funds for the CIA, they run the illegal drug trade worldwide, that alone is billions.

[sleadman1]

@Zahn you have lost your mind

[Toddinfantry]

@Zahn Cuckoo, Cuckoo

[dfbflyer]

@Zahn Not really the time and place for comedy.

[trexx63]

I think the plane was completely out of control starting with the rapid pull out. Perhaps, caused when the trim tab on the elevator failed, The pilot was more than likely blacked out. Any "last second" maneuvering was probably related to propellor torque. It's a miracle he didn't hit squarely onto the bleechers. The aircraft Voodoo (modified P-51) had a trim tab failure in 1998 and it zoomed wildly skyward also.

[icgod2went4ourse7en]

@frostyhasbigballs a men r.i.p. to all who past the good die young

[icgod2went4ourse7en]

@frostyhasbigballs a men

[joltmeoff]

to say that the pilots age had ABOSLUTLY nothing to do wtih the crash is pure predjudice for old ppl. the man was seventy-fu*king-four years old. average life span for an american male.....well take a freakin guess. BTW there is nothing left or not enough left of a body for an autopsy to give any results. its just a psy-op to see how the public feels about old ppl flying them around. you watch...

[itsmealex61556]

Dude the plane was sabotaged, theres a photo that shows the back left wing is missing its flap and its balanced was messed up

[Toddinfantry]

@itsmealex61556 Please do some small amount of research before making posts that you know nothing about. The small piece is called an elevator trim tab and is used in making small, fine adjustments to the aircraft's flying attitude. This piece would not bring the plane down.

The "back left wing" is called a horizontal stabilizer and the moving part is the elevator (makes nose go up or down). Flaps are on the main wing and are used at slow speed to increase lift.

[trexx63]

@Toddinfantry At race speeds and for course racing, the trim tab is critical. The airplanes routinely exceed 500mph in dense, lower atmosphere air.

[crooney82]

@Toddinfantry NO you are making ignorant comments. If the trim tab failed in this aircraft going this speed there is no way that ANY person could maintain control of it. The only thing that he could have done (if he didnt immediately black out from the INSANE g forces) is cut power to the engine and let the plane slow enough to regain control. The news media doesnt even begin to explain how fast this thing is going. It is flying through the air MUCH faster than a Boeing 747.

[Toddinfantry]

@crooney82 Oh really? Then please tell me what the cruising speed of a 747 is there wonder boy. Just to keep you from over taxing your mind I will assist you here. The 747-400 has a cruising speed of around mach .85 or about 570 mph. What is the speed of the "Ghost...just shy of 560 mph. Soooo, with that i mind how is the Ghost MUCH faster than a 747? Who is the ignorant one? There's always some idiot thinks he knows something and doesn't, you are a great example.

[SexySamuraiMan]

Well at least it didn't crash on the audience, although that would have been kinda cool.

[videocommenter67]

@SexySamuraiMan You are a douche!

[Ianmakingvideos]

you do relize craz random shit happens all the time right haha thanks for posting

[CalvinDyals]

not to mention he has a pilots license to fly over 250 different aircraft.... ive met mr leeward personally and ive had the oppertunity to sit in a few of his aircraft... Mr leeward was by far one of the most talented stunt , race, and aircraft enthusist that you would have met.... REST IN PEACE Mr Leeward and also the late Jimmy rossie ( Mr. Mig )

[oldjizzy]

HAD to be that Kenyan Obama. Did you see how that thing was directed STRAIGHT down into that crowd of box seat elitists? That was an inside Obama job there!

[ShadowofLocke]

@oldjizzy ...

[cjURGEns970]

@oldjizzy You're an idiot. Not even worth words of intelligent sparring.

[Tramsootru]

Just curious, what happens to a person when they are enjert?

[mertzie54]

@frostyhasbigballs THANK YOU,YOU HAVE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR HOW STUPID PEOPLE CAN BE BY THESE IDIOTIC COMMENTS THEY MAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET A DAMN LIFE

[MochaJoel]

DAMN!!!!!!! Look at that dislike bar!

[spacefannumber1]

was this guy one of Bachman's kid??? the pilot was a good man, mechanical failures are no recover situations. Period. Do some research on airplanes people.

[waremock]

Fox News is hiring, you should think about applying.

[broomy1313]

@waremock this needs to be voted to the top

[markripleyl]

INSIDE JOB! Wake up you sheep, this was no accident!. Do your research and see the truth!!!!!!!.

[ArcticFlier77]

@markripleyl Watch out for black helicopters in your back yard. They're on to you!!

[MrTelejohn]

No one over 60 should be racing airplanes. I don't think the Navy puts old pilots into combat, racing, or any type of flying requiring heavy G's or quick reactions.

[Tramsootru]

@MrTelejohn A 19 year old kid in the prime of his life would have not stayed awake during the G's he experienced.

[Toddinfantry]

@Tramsootru If you only had a clue...even a little one would help you. Try learning about flying before you post such crap.

[kultdaniel]

@frostyhasbigballs i feel like this comment has a little less impact coming from someone named frostyhasbigballs....

[apatheticempathy]

CNN has reported the Pilot WAS in fact DRUNK !!!

32 people now dead on the ground cause this OLD man pilot was allowed to

fly drunk ....

[brown13pride69]

@apatheticempathy

No he wasn't. CNN is full of shit and enjoys pissing people off.

[hawker445]

@brown13pride69 Its the same with faux news

[ArcticFlier77]

@apatheticempathy You're ignorant comes to mind...

[dlcmuskrat]

@apatheticempathy ARE YOU SERIOUS. THEY FOUND OUT HE WAS DRUNK WHAT WHEN HE WAS DEAD?

[KMCGamer]

@dlcmuskrat lmfao, we really have to crack down on the people who are Flying under the Influence. haha

[Zonekiller24]

@apatheticempathy Amen.

[Kreethesohma]

I live here in Reno and the death toll stand as of right now at 6 and over 56 still injured.

[RealDiehl17]

FYI, The Pilot was 74, not 80 like the media intially reported.

[KokomoKid2]

I found a picture that show an elevator tab hanging by one end from the back of the elevator. That seems the likely cause.

[BulldogJM]

didnt this guy make modifications to the plane to make it go faster and more aero dynaminc that hadn't been tested yet? There's a reason they made the p-51 with certain length wings and tail sections....

[sherriffnoldie]

Please don't let the cruel posts caus you grief. Many comments are made by pre-teens and people that daily, yearly, play as a participant in violent computer games.

And, please guys, leave the mocking to Jimmy Swaggart. His severe mocking was enough for a generation of unhappy tubers.

[dieselpwrd16]

@sherriffnoldie Just curious, how do violent video games contribute to the posting of immature comments? kinda two different things there.

[listenheredc]

god? what exactly is god trying to say? give me a break. people always throw god in the mix to explain things. things happen.

[thedamned38]

@listenheredc i agree bro...god has nothing to do with it, or anything for that matter.

[outlaw8010]

This guy is a douchebag!!!

[pilot20066]

per the faa

photographs showed the “elevator trim tab” coming loose. “That would certainly explain what happened. That would create a huge problem at that speed. It controls the up and down motion of the nose. It’s a flight control at the rear of the aircraft. A very important feature as concerns loss of control. That would do it,” he said.

[Toddinfantry]

@pilot20066 You have pilot in your name so you should know that a trim tab has very little in the way of control compared to full elevator. This alone would not bring the plane down, but does show that something else may have broken also.

[qqaaaqqq]

nine now confirmed dead,including pilot.

[MrJtr1888]

It was a hologram!!!!!!!!!!!!

[judith10512]

To the person who uses the " F" word as an adjective, and seems to know little else; you have just shown the world your intelligence. I'm sorry for you - at least Leeward died doing what he loved most! He was one of the best at what he did. Why don't you wait to hear the facts. Oh, by the way, you sound like a redneck yourself . Now, please go educate yourself.!

[MTsoldier87]

@wangobangodango You're a stupid asshole. Just like with any sport especially extreme sports like this there is an element of danger. While it is a major tragedy and and people died doesn't mean that it's for stupid assholes and who are you to judge anyways? Let me fill you in on a fact of life. People DIE! dipshit. go and spread your cynical bullshit elsewhere while intelligent people have a discussion here. God bless and keep you all who were involved. Praying for everyone involved and present

[MTsoldier87]

@wangobangodango You're a stupid asshole. Just like with any sport especially extreme sports like this there is an element of danger. While it is a major tragedy and and people died doesn't mean that it's for stupid assholes and who are you to judge anyways? Let me fill you in on a fact of life. People DIE! dipshit. go and spread your cynical bullshit elsewhere while intelligent people have a discussion here. God bless and keep you all who were involved. Praying for everyone involved and present

[IndianaTruth12]

Your a fruit basket but you have a point about GOD trying to tell people something!!! lol

Good crash!

[YoTuSn]

@IndianaTruth12 Lunatic

[manthony1956]

As a veteran of 40 years of watching air shows and races I have seen a few crashes. I have never seen a pilot eject at the expense of the crowd. Not all have died in the crashes. I know not one private pilot who will not sacrifice their own life to save the life of bystanders. The most famous crash was probably Art Sholl of Super Chipmunk fame. He was flying his Pitts for the filming of "Top Gun", knew he was in trouble and took it out to sea to ensure he was the only casualty.

[Toddinfantry]

@manthony1956 The second would be the Blue Angel that crashed in SC. Stayed with his aircraft to ensure no civilian casualties.

[TheTsowa]

idiot



[1vdn992]

@atmodom THE VERTICAL STABILIZER BROKE OFF, SO IT WAS CLEARLY MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND NOT PILOT ERROR IN ANY WAY.

[YoTuSn]

@1vdn992 May he rest in peace.

[Toddinfantry]

@1vdn992 At NO point in any vid did the vertical stabilizer break off. Where do you ppl get this crap from?

[samthelittleman1]

@wangobangodango fuck off

[patlikestrucks95]

Re: Flight2flyphoto- your right man that pilot could of ejected the aircraft and let it plunge into the stands and kill hundreds. i believe they said 3 dead i think that is better than hundreds R.I.P. pilot and the ones that passed away

[gospeedracer1826]

@fight2flyphoto So you're implying that a 74 year old male couldn't suddenly have a debilitating heart attack at any given time? Healthy people, younger than this guy with perfect medical records, suffer heart attacks and strokes and die every day. Not saying he wasn't an awesome pilot...but you have to be conscious to operate an aircraft. BTW, pictures of the plane clearly show a pilot slumped over and to the left of the yoke during the dive.

[boomercoco1]

@fight2flyphoto What the fuck do u expect when u let a fucken 70 year old fly a fucken old plane. Fucken idiots I swear. Good job u fucken redneck. Go watch a real sport.

[1vdn992]

@boomercoco1 It isn't pilot error, it's mechanical failure, stick to something you're good at cause this ain't it.

[kens97sto171]

@boomercoco1

First his age has nothing to do with it, except that his vast experience saved many lives, Pilots are required to take health exams. Second the age of the plane is irrelevant too. The plane is inspected and can be checked for age related problems like cracks in the frame etc. Lastly it's not a redneck sport.. and exactly what is a real sport? Basketball? Football? Give me a break.

[chwparker]

@atmodom Pilots must go through a rigorous test to ensure they are mentally capable of handling a show like this. Additionally, they must also conduct several practice runs before the actual event. For all we know, it could have been a fault of the plane.

[K12SXXFire]

your right, you really have no idea what to say about this story...

[P51ride]

plmedcraft

That pilot could out drive and out fly anyone around and the plane was maintained 10 times better than the most expensive car around. I believe He had flown that P 51 Mustang for over forty years . Until more facts are discovered about this crash, please, out of respect for the pilot's family and the dead and injured fans stop the BS

[eeyore22]

I live in Reno. This is the 1st A.R, I HAVEN'T gone to (I'm usually one of the obnoxious people in section 3!!!)... my 4 year old was a brat the whole week, so I was Punishing her, by NOT letting her go!!!! THANK U GOD!!! My Dad was an aeronaitical engineer for Lear Fan (google it), AT THIS AIRPORT. I have seen EVERY race since '80

[a7xangel666]

Hmm such a sad thing too bad I left before I got to see it

[Reynard13Fuchs]

This pilot passed away, though tragically, doing one of the things he dearly loved. My condolences to the Leeward family and the families of those involved.

[BlazeWhite1960]

80 years old - are you shitting me - im scared just thinking that he drove he car there! He should of been taking tickets at the gate NOT flying P-51 in a freakin race...

[JBtheProducer]

@BlazeWhite1960 he was actually only 74

[DankMiss]

they let him fly because he was licensed and enjoyed flying!! he built the plane himself. He died doing what he loved!!! p.s. i live in stead in reno nv!!!

[plmedcraft]

are you an idiot?

Conspiracy theory????

WW2 plane piloted by an 80 year old Man flying at the edge in an air race with a crowd of spectators almost directly below.

Staggering that more were not killed, what is wrong with you Americans letting an 80 year old Man fly that aircraft, WTF did you expect would happen???

In my Country we wouldnt let him drive a car for Gods sake!!!

[J4cksSm1rkingR3venge]

@plmedcraft Because our 80 year old seniors are fearless unlike you pansies.

[omcx1e]

@plmedcraft You freaking idiot. His age had nothing to do with it. He was one of the most talented and respected stunt/race pilots in the world. The plane had a mechanical failure that no one, no matter what their age, could have recovered from. People died. Keep your stupid, ignorant, hateful, asinine comments to yourself.

[davetileguy]

@omcx1e right he WAS the best,no piliots over 65 flying stunts.

[ChopperPilot136]

@omcx1e You my friend are also an idiot. A condisending idiot at that. Bashing someone giving their opinion while you give yours. You don't agree, that is fine but what makes your opinion (and that is ALL it is) better than his? You saying it WAS mechanical. How the F do you know?! I am NOT agreeing that it was age, OR mechanical. I don't know what it was. And neither do you! Let the EXPERTS figure it out. Sad day for aviation. Prayers with the injured and families of the ones lost.

[ChopperPilot136]

@omcx1e You my friend are also an idiot. A condisending idiot at that. Bashing someone who thinks age had a factor in it and saying it WAS mechanical. How the F do you know?! Now I am NOT agreeing that it was age, OR mechanical. I don't know what it was. And neither do you! Let the EXPERTS figure it out. As of Sunday (from the EXPERTS) there was no mayday call, though some say there was and they are INVESTIGATING it (what EXPERTS do, investigate before drawing conclusions. idiot.)

[ChopperPilot136]

@omcx1e You my friend are also an idiot. A condisending idiot at that. Bashing someone who thinks age had a factor in it and saying it WAS mechanical. How the F do you know?! Now I am NOT agreeing that it was age, OR mechanical. I don't know what it was. And neither do you! Let the EXPERTS figure it out. As of Sunday (from the EXPERTS) there was no mayday call, though some say there was and they are INVESTIGATING it (what EXPERTS do, investigate before drawing conclusions. idiot.)

[RaveApe]

@plmedcraft your an idiot keep living under your rock

[USSWISCONSIN64]

@plmedcraft thats cause your country sucks. he was the best pilot ever seen in my life. like you could do better

[FAMOUSSLIMSHOWDOTCOM]

@DucksOnQuack037 you where lucky Thank god you made it home safe F&S ;-)

[DucksOnQuack037]

I was there today. I was one of the ones sitting on the white chairs with red carpet I saw the plane come around I said shit to myself and started running. It was a P-51 mustang that took a nose dive. I was one of the lucky ones...

[mononokematrix]

Lol